All Resources
Silence and Solitude
I don’t think anyone in the western world would argue with the following statement: “We live in a time of tremendous and immediate access to knowledge, comfort, and entertainment.” For those of us that are followers of Jesus, the following statement is also true: “We...
Small Group Open Chair Model
Whenever possible and healthy for the group, we encourage groups to maintain an “open chair.” This means that the group fosters an attitude of openness to newcomers and maintains an environment that would make a newcomer feel welcome. The group does not need to be...
How Can I Know When to Ask for Help?
Each episode features a leading question, quote of the week, and a Growing Together segment geared at imperfect leaders who are seeking development in their leadership...
Why Should I Become Less Self-Obsessed?
Welcome back for Season 2! In this episode, the team discusses why we should move toward humility and self-forgetfulness in culture driven by self-satisfaction and the...
Why Am I So Devastated by Feedback and Criticism?
In this episode, the team discusses feedback and why it can often feel more painful than helpful. The LDI Crew also talks about the relationship between evaluation,...
How Do I Navigate the Tension of Being Compassionate & Having High Standards?
In this episode, the team discusses how an unhealthy relationship with perfection impacts the ability to navigate the tension between having high standards and accepting...
Church Planting at Hope
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it." In response to this great truth, our church–Hope Community Church Downtown–has had the joy of starting 11 churches locally and supporting many more. It's not about us;...
How Do We Worship on Easter?
In less than a month, we will be celebrating Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I didn’t grow up with a strong Christian foundation. I’d overhear comments at church about special days, services, terms, and theology and wonder about their significance. What is Lent? Or Ash...
Planting a Small Group
Why plant a new small group from your existing group? Before we continue, we would like to be very clear: Hope does not desire numerical growth of the small group ministry just for the sake of having a large ministry. We only hope for numerical growth if it reflects...
Seven Accessible Ways to Connect With Jesus This Easter Season
My choice of the word “accessible” over “easy” was intentional. Connecting with Jesus is accessible to all of us. But if I were to say “easy” too many would misunderstand this to mean “fast”. I don’t offer you 10 “fast” ways to connect with Jesus. But I do believe...
Small Groups With Missionaries
As Hope Community Church small group leaders we see our group members experience many major life events and changes. This document contains helpful tips for leading someone called to overseas missions. Please note a few things before reading this document. First,...
Killing Sin: Confession, Contrition, Community
“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” ― John Owen, The Mortification of Sin Recently someone sent me a video of a leopard in India caught on camera...